Discussion with Stan Harrison

This video was a live stream discussion with Stan Harrison who I met through a common friend, bassist Louis De Mieulle. Stan is a saxophonist and composer (I believe he also plays the clarinet and flute) and he also produces music for television. The first time he tried to play the saxophone he placed his mouthpiece upside down but quickly figured out the do and don't and has since then shared the stage with some of the major artists such as Bruce Sprinsteen, Southside Johnny, Diana Ross, Serge Gainsbourg, David Bowie, Radiohead and many more.

This is not how you're supposed to put the mouthpiece!

You can visit his website www.mudmusicensemble.com and the music at the beginning of the video is from his album The Ties That Blind which you can find on Itunes.

Here are a few notes about our discussion:

The reason he pursued music: there seemed to be nothing else that he could do to get the same joy.

When he was 21 he decided he would play as good as Charlie Parker by the age of 23. Of course this is funny, but it's an example to illustrate when we talk about setting up goals and the necessary steps to attain that goal.

Here are some of his teachers:

Joe Allard: check out the website dedicated to his work, there is quite a lot of information. Here is a video of Joe Allard talking about the embouchure:

On this link you will find the books by Marcel Mule that he practiced.

Buddy Savitt: he was known as a rock and roll saxophonist, here is a video of Chubby Checker with Buddy Savitt on tenor.

Dennis Sandole: guitarist, composer and teacher from Philadelphia. Some of his students were John Coltrane, James Moody, Michael Brecker, Jim Hall, Pat Martino. Here is an interesting video about him:

On this link you can find the book The Art Of Saxophone Playing by Larry Teal.

Here is a video of Borneo Horns, I didn't know that band and it's absolutely killing!

His advice: never think that something is impossible to achieve or to happen, don't think that somebody is not approachable, the chances of getting the gig are so slim that you won't even try.

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